Per User Audit Policy was changed

// EVENT DEFINITION:

A per-user audit policy setting was altered (`AuditPol /set /user:...`).

// DETAILED TELEMETRY & CONTEXT:

Event ID 4912 records changes to per-user audit policy parameters. If an attacker gains local/domain admin rights, they can run `auditpol /set /user:malicious_account /subcategory:... /success:disable` to completely silence telemetry specifically for their operating account (`4912`).

[ ! ]Failure Reason / Root Cause Analysis

Modification of per-user audit policy (`TargetSid` policy altered by `SubjectSid`).

Operational Metadata & Applicability

Log Category:Policy Change

Audit Type Classification:Success Audit

Supported Operating Systems:Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022 / Windows Client 10, 11 (Enterprise / Pro)

Threat Hunting Keywords:

4912per user audit policy changedauditpol disableaccount audit suppression

MITRE ATT&CK Framework Alignment

T1562.001

Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify ToolsTactic: Defense Evasion

Mitigation Playbook & Recommended SOC Actions

•Alert immediately if any per-user audit policy disables auditing (`Audit Policy: 0x0`) for specific administrative or service accounts.

Representative Windows Event XML Schema

<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing" Guid="{54849625-5478-4994-A5BA-3E3B0328C30D}" />
    <EventID>4912</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>0</Level>
    <Task>12544</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8020000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2026-07-17T09:54:44.342Z" />
    <EventRecordID>1048576</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="612" ThreadID="1024" />
    <Channel>Security</Channel>
    <Computer>DC01.enterprise.internal</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data Name="SubjectUserSid">S-1-5-18</Data>
    <Data Name="SubjectUserName">SYSTEM</Data>
    <Data Name="SubjectDomainName">NT AUTHORITY</Data>
    <Data Name="SubjectLogonId">0x3e7</Data>
    <!-- Event telemetry fields specific to Per User Audit Policy was changed -->
  </EventData>
</Event>

Correlated / Related Security Event IDs

Need to export or view this event without styling/layout wrappers?

Open Simple Plain Detail Page →

ADVERTISEMENT / SPONSORED RESERVATION (728x90)